In 1709 (or was it 1710?) the Statute of Anne created the first purpose-built copyright law. This blog, founded just 300 short and unextended years later, is dedicated to all things copyright, warts and all. To contact the 1709 Blog, email Eleonora at eleonorarosati[at]gmail.com

Wednesday, 15 October 2014

IP Enforcement - late news from Vietnam

Three weeks' late as it happens, but better late than never.

Way back on 24 September, City of London Police Commander, Steve Head, gave a speech at the snappily entitled "International Law Enforcement IP Crime Conference" in Vietnam calling for greater global co-operation and a worldwide day of action to tackle organised criminal networks who are making millions of pounds through intellectual property (IP) crime.

The conference, co-hosted by INTERPOL and the Vietnam National Police, was attended by more than 500 public and private delegates from nearly 70 countries - all of whom I am sure found it hard to tear themselves away from their desks to visit beautiful, warm Vietnam.

According to the Force's press release Commander Head, who oversees PIPCU, provided attendees with an insight into the unit’s work, focusing on how the team has successfully targeted individuals and organised crime gangs that are damaging legitimate businesses through copyright infringing websites and selling counterfeit goods online.

The Press Release quoted Commander Head - under whose lead PIPCU has launched the ground-breaking follow-the-money projects discussed in Mike Weatherley's recent paper which you can find here [declaration of interest - this Blogger helped Mike to write the report] as saying, “PIPCU are pioneers in the way it is [sic: they are? it is? how many PIPCUs are there] tackling intellectual property crime, moving away from traditional policing methods to embrace new and innovative initiatives to disrupt and dismantle the criminal networks responsible for causing huge damage to legitimate businesses.

“This work includes close collaboration with private sector organisations inadvertently supporting IP crime either through advertising or allowing payment provision on websites that are providing illegal access to copyrighted material".

“At the International Law Enforcement IP Crime Conference I urged delegates to support and engage with PIPCU and to look at its strategy for policing IP crime as a potential way forward for themselves and partner agencies".

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